Floatable breakwater element

ABSTRACT

An inflatable elongate prismatic sheet-material shell of triangular profile has a reinforced edge attached to an anchor chain which, together with the shell and the anchor, can be folded into a package in which the sheet material of the shell is wrapped around the anchor and chain. The package, and/or each of its components, is held in a collapsed position by water-soluble bands whereby the anchor slips out of its sheet wrapping when the package is immersed, the shell being then automatically inflated by one or more compressed-air cartridges.

United States Patent Szyfter 1 July4,1972

[54] FLOATABLE BREAKWATER ELEMENT [72] Inventor: Bruno Szyfter, Kathe-Dorsch-Ring 12, 1

Berlin, 47, Germany [22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1969 [211 App]. No.: 876,097

I 30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 12, 1968 ierrntmyu ..P 18 09 506.2

1521 u.s.c| ..61/5,9/2,9/1 1.1, 114 5, 114/206 51 Int. Cl. ..E02b 3/06, B63b 7 00 58 Field of Search ..1 14 435, 206 P, 206 A, 208 A, 114 05 BD, 0.5 F, 0.5 T, 74 T; 61/5; 9 1 A, 11 A, 2

[56] References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 2 ,7s4,42 5 3 1957 Bieknell ..9 11

3,215,111 ll/1965 McDaniel ..114/208 3,237,414 3/1966 Straub et al 3,494,132 2/1970 Logan ..61/5

Primary Examiner-Jacob Shapiro Att0rney-Karl F. Ross [57] ABSTRACT An inflatable elongate prismatic sheet-material shell of trian gular profile has a reinforced edge attached to an anchor chain which, together with the shell and the anchor, can be folded into a package in which the sheet material of the shell is wrapped around the anchor and chain. The package, and/or each of its components, is held in a collapsed position by water-soluble bands whereby the anchor slips out of its sheet wrapping when the package is immersed, the shell being then automatically inflated by one or more compressed-air cartridges.

8 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH I872 3,673,805

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If Inventor:

' BRUNO SZYFTER By: 3, a

Attorney FLOATABLE'BREAKWA'I'ER ELEMENT My present invention relates to a floatable element for a maritime breakwater or pier.

An element of this description, having a prismatic body of triangular profile connected to an anchor chain, is known for example from German utility model U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,992. When moored to the windward side by anchors and chains secured to one of its longitudinal edges, this element rolls with the waves but generally remains at a fixed location on the ocean surface.

The object of my invention is to provide a pier element of this description which, together with others of its kind, can be stored in a relatively small space for convenient transportation to and from the mooring site, e.g. on shipboard.

This object is realized, pursuant to my present invention, by the provision of a pier element of the general type described whose body is formed as a collapsible shell of sheet material provided with a source of compressed gas, such as one or more compressed-air cartridges of the kind used in the inflation of conventional life jackets. The shell, when deflated, enfolds the associated anchor means, with the anchor or anchors advantageously designed as collapsible members each having a pair of wings resiliently hinged to a stem.

According to another feature of my invention, the package formed from the collapsed shell, the anchor or anchors and the associated chain or chains is initially held together by water-soluble tie means which may include separate bands wound around the shell body, the collapsed anchors and the folded chains. Such water-soluble tie means may also be used to constrict a portion of the shell containing the gas cartridge so that the latter cannot discharge its contents into the interior of the shell until the band has been dissolved. Such a band may consist, for example, of a strip of polyvinylalcohol and polymethylmethacrylate heat-sealed onto itself.

The invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of an inflated pier element according to the invention floating on water;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the element of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 5 are views similar to FIG. 2, showing the element in various positions;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the same element;

FIGS. 7 and 8 diagrammatically illustrate successive stages in the folding of the deflated element of FIGS. 1 6;

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the folded condition of an associated anchor chain and anchor member, respectively;

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates the deflated shell of the element, the chain and the anchor in their collapsed and individually folded state;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a seagoing vessel provided with means for storing and discharging a series of pier elements according to this invention; and

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic top view of an artificial lagoon formed by a pier embodying the invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 I have shown an inflated shell 1 of flexible, preferably elastomeric sheet material, floating on a body of water. The shell 1 is of prismatic shape with a profile in the form of an equilateral triangle. A longitudinal edge of the prism is reenforced by a metal strip 2 formed at several locations with hooks or eyes 3 for the attachment of respective anchor chains 4 (only one shown) whose anchors bit into the ocean floor.

FIG. 2 shows the element 1 in relatively calm waters swept by a light breeze which stretches the chains 4 to the wind (e.g. in an off-shore direction).

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the attitude of the float l in heavy seas, with a wave 6 impinging on the inclined side 7 so as to be upwardly deflected while the float dips deeper into the water with its undersurface 8. This dissipates some of the kinetic energy of the wave and prevents a major disturbance of the leeward body of water.

FIG. 5 illustrates two extreme positions 1, 1" of the float in full and dot-dash lines.

The length of the shell 1 may be on the order of 10 meters with the width of its sides 7, 8 ranging between about 3 and 5 meters; its surface may be coated with luminous paint. In calm seas the shell may penetrate by about one-fourth to one-third below the surface.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 6, shell 1 is provided with several cartridges 9 containing a filling of compressed air. Normally plugged outlets 9a allow for the deflation of the inflated shell.

In FIG. 7 (which is not drawn to the same scale as preceding and subsequent Figures) I have shown how the two sides 7, 8 of the deflated shell can be folded toward each other by a doubling-up of the third side 17 between them.

FIG. 8 shown the two juxtaposed sides 7, 8 in cross-sectional view (with omission of the interleaved side 17); diagram (a) shows the flat package originally formed, diagram (b) shows the longitudinal edges of that package bent upwardly, diagram (c) shows them bent further toward each other, diagram (d) illustrates a package of reduced width in which the folded-over edges of side 8 form a seam 9b, and diagram (e) shows a further folding of the reduced package about the seam 9b.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the chain 4 of anchor 5 can be folded several times in zig-zag to fit between folded sheet sections shown in FIG. 8 (e) with an end of the chain secured to anchor 5 while the other is still tied to a fastener 3 (FIG. 1) of the shell.

FIG. 10 shows the anchor 5 on a larger scale, with a pair of wings 5a resiliently hinged to it at 5d so that the barbs 50 come to rest against the stem.

FIG. 11 shows at (a) the shell package 1 tied together by a water-soluble band diagram (b) of this Figure shows a similar tie 10b the folded chain 4 whereas diagram (c) illustrates the collapsed position of anchor 5 under the restraint of a further tie 100. With the package 1 having a width slightly exceeding the length of the anchor stem, the chain and the anchor may be readily enfolded thereby so as to slip out when the package is untied by a dissolution of band 100.

Naturally all the anchors and chainS are to be rolled into the folded sheet alongside one another.

The mouth of each cartridge 9 (FIG. 6) may be suitably enveloped in a part (e.g. a comer) of the shell constricted by a similar band so that a plug seated in this mouth can be injected by the gas pressure only when the band is dissolved.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, a ship 1 1 has a hull provided with a hatch 13 toward which a series of folded collapsed shells, enfolding their anchors and chains, can be delivered by a conveyor 12.

Upon its arrival at the mooring site, the ship can thus discharge the desired number of pier elements for automatic inflation and anchoring to the ocean floor.

As shown in FIG. 13, an artificial lagoon 15 can be formed from a number of such elements 1A, 18 disposed in an arn along a shore line 16 to leave an entrance 14; a carrier formed from a row of similar elements 10 protects the port 14 from onrushing waves.

The pier elements herein disclosed may be used to guard a harbor against neap tides, e.g. in combination with fixed dikes, to insure calm waters at a bathing beach or to assist an invasion fleet approaching a shore.

I claim:

1. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material, anchor means tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor means and said shell, prior to inflation of the latter, forming a package provided with water-soluble tie means holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water; said shell when inflated being of generally prismatic, elongate shape with a polygonal profile having one longitudinal edge secured to said anchor means.

2. A breakwater element asdefined in claim 1 wherein said anchor means comprises an anchor member with a stem and wings foldable thereagainst, said tie means including a watersoluble band wound around said stem and wings.

3. A breakwater element as defined in claim 2 wherein said anchor member is provided with resilient hinge means urging said wings away from said stem upon dissolution of said band.

4. A breakwater element as defined in claim 3 wherein said anchor means further comprises a chain linked to said member and said shell, said tie means including another water-soluble band wound around said chain in a folded condition thereof.

5. A breakwater element as defined in claim 1 wherein said profile is an equilateral triangle.

6. A breakwater element as defined in claim wherein one side of the triangle, in the collapsed state of said shell, is doubled up between the two other sides to form a flat package, said package being folded about said anchor means.

7. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material; an anchor member tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, said anchor member having a stem and wings foldable thereaginst; and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor member and said shell, prior to inflation'of the latter, forming a package provided with a water-soluble band wound around said stem and wings for holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water; said anchor member being provided with resilient hinge means urging said wings away from said stem upon dissolution of said band.

8. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material; an anchor member tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, said anchor member having a stern and wing foldable thereagainst; a chain linked to said member and said shell; a first water-soluble band wound around said chain in a folded condition thereof; and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor member and said shell, prior to inflation of the latter, forming a package provided with a water-soluble second band wound around said stem and wings for holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water. 

1. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material, anchor means tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor means and said shell, prior to inflation of the latter, forming a package provided with water-soluble tie means holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water; said shell when inflated being of generally prismatic, elongate shape with a polygonal profile having one longitudinal edge secured to said anchor means.
 2. A breakwater element as defined in claim 1 wherein said anchor means comprises an anchor member with a stem and wings foldable thereagainst, said tie means including a water-soluble band wound around said stem and wings.
 3. A breakwater element as defined in claim 2 wherein said anchor member is provided with resilient hinge means urging said wings away from said stem upon dissolution of said band.
 4. A breakwater element as defined in claim 3 wherein said anchor means further comprises a chain linked to said member and said shell, said tie means including another water-soluble band wound around said chain in a folded condition thereof.
 5. A breakwater element as defined in claim 1 wherein said profile is an equilateral triangle.
 6. A breakwater element as defined in claim wherein one side of the triangle, in the collapsed state of said shell, is doubled up between the two other sides to form a flat package, said package being folded about said anchor means.
 7. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material; an anchor member tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, said anchor member having a stem and wings foldable thereaginst; and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor member and said shell, prior to inflation of the latter, forming a package provided with a water-soluble band wound around said stem and wings for holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water; said anchor member being provided with resilient hinge means urging said wings away from said stem upon dissolution of said band.
 8. A floatable breakwater element comprising an inflatable shell of sheet material; an anchor member tied to said shell and enfoldable thereby in a collapsed state of said shell, said anchor member having a stem and wing foldable thereagainst; a chain linked to said member and said shell; a first water-soluble band wound around said chain in a folded condition thereof; and a source of compressed gas in said shell triggerable to release its contents into the interior thereof for inflating same; said anchor member and said shell, prior to inflation of the latter, forming a package provided with a water-soluble second band wound around said stem and wings for holding the package together before immersion thereof in a body of water. 